Tough Love
by Courtenay
Summary: Also written by SBlack4Life. If you don't trust me, ask her. James has finally crossed the line, can he do anything to regain Lily's trust?


**Chapter One**

Lily's previous years had been wonderful, joyous, and breathtaking. So now, entering her sixth year, Lily was overwhelmed with the thoughts that soon it would all be over. Seventh was her last year at Hogwarts and that was only a year away. Lily boarded the train full of excitement and fear, fear that there wasn't enough time but excited to see her friends at last. She had waited all summer, with letters from them all, telling how wonderful their wizard summers were compared to her ordinary, boring muggle summer. Taking a deep breath, Lily stepped onto the Hogwarts Express, pausing only momentarily to turn around and wave at her parents one last time.

Gulping, and pushing her hair behind her ears, Lily continued onto the train. "Michelle! Kiera! Colette!" Lily squealed as she opened the door to the four girls usual compartment. Michelle stood up screaming and gave Lily a hug that caused her to drop her belongings. Kiera, being the calmer of the four, sat patiently waiting for an oppurtunity to give Lily a hug. Colette was right next to Michelle, pushing her out of the way to help squeeze Lily to death.

"Okay! Okay! Let me see Kiera!" Lily yelled, laughing as she pushed through her friends to try and reach Kiera. Kiera, smiling, stood up and gave Lily a hug.

"I missed you," Kiera murmured before sitting down. Lily smiled and pushed her trunk up onto the rack.

"I missed you too! I can't believe you went to Venice! Was it wonderful?" Lily asked, she sat down next to Kiera and watched as Michelle and Colette fought about shoes.

"You would have loved it, it was so...romantic," Kiera smiled, she looked out the window at the passing hills and then back at Lily. "But you heard enough about me in my letters! How was your summer?"

"It was okay...I guess - but I missed you guys, and believe it or not, I missed their fighting!" Lily motioned toward Michelle and Colette who were now glaring at each other.

"What are you talking about Lily? We don't fight! Ever!" Michelle objected. "We haven't fought since we were three!"

"You didn't know each other when you were three!" Kiera laughed.

"Whatever!" Colette yelled. Suddenly the compartment door swung open and Sirius Black walked in. Lily looked up at him and automatically stopped smiling, Michelle and Colette started talking to each and Kiera took a deep breath.

"What do you want, Black?" Lily asked sighing, she knew that if Sirius was here, James wouldn't be far behind. And though, for some reason she had missed his constant nagging, he was the last person she wanted to see - and even if she did want to see him, she would never admit it.

"Uh...James wanted me to ask you something," Sirius muttered, he stared out the window, looked at the conversing Michelle and Colette, and then back at Lily and Kiera.

"Spit it out already!" Lily snapped, she rolled her eyes and looked up at Sirius expectantly.

"He wants to know what you're doing Friday night..." Sirius trailed off, he pushed Colette over and sat down next to her. Colette glared at him and scooted over more to get away from him. Lily's eyes glistened momentarily with an unexpected leap, as though her heart was trying to jump out of her chest and tell her something.

"Well...um..." Lily stumbled. "I...I'm..." For once, Lily couldn't come up with an excuse or a reason to come up with an excuse. "I've got homework."

"How could you know that?" Sirius asked thoughtfully. "We aren't even at Hogwarts yet!"

"Well I don't know if I have plans then, do I?"

"Okay, I'll tell him," Sirius smiled and walked out the door.

"SIRIUS BLACK! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Lily screamed as she stood up and started to run after him.

"Yeah! I know, don't need to tell me that twice!" Sirius laughed as he ran off, suddenly he was gone and Lily was left standing alone in the hallway. Sighing, Lily walked back to her compartment and slouched down in her seat.

"I still don't see what you see in him Kiera, I really don't."

"Don't talk about it Lily, I don't stand a chance with him. Why bother? I...I just can't help loving him," Kiera murmured, she sighed and stared out the window. Unaware that at the particular moment, Sirius himself was standing outside the compartment door and had heard every word she said.

"Oh, Kiera don't think like that. You'll never get anywhere with that attitude, I mean look at James. He never gives up! Never!" Lily smiled slightly at Kiera, who was beginning to smile too. "Anyway, I better go sort this out...Potter thinks I'm going out with him." Lily stood up and opened the compartment door, and came face to face with Sirius who went wide eyed and looked stunned. Closing the door behind her before anyone else noticed him, Lily glared at Sirius.

"How much did you hear?" She growled, taking a hold of the top of his head.

"I don't know...it was kinda muffled and I didn't know who she was talking about!"

"Which she?" Lily growled again, she held his hair tighter and he winced in pain.

"Kiera," He muttered through gritted teeth. Lily let go of his hair and sighed heavily.

"Did you understand what she said? Tell me the truth Sirius, I need to know."

"I'll understand if I know who she was talking about, I didn't know Kiera liked anyone." Sirius muttered shuffling his feet.

"She was talking about you Sirius, you stupid moron!" Lily growled, she grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him away from her compartment.

"She was talking about me!" Sirius asked, he jaw practically dropping. "What? Why?"

"Maybe because she loves you, Sirius. Maybe thats why. And if you opened your eyes for five second you'd notice a lot about her."


End file.
